My family attends an Assemblies of God church. Close family members of ours attend a Lutheran church. Recently there were some disagreements in our families about a situation that had some moral implications to it. I believed one thing and they believed another thing.
Unfortunately the situation created a lot of tension. We are a close family so when these touchy issues come up it can create a mess. After some frank discussion we were finally able to agree to disagree.
It really got me thinking about how differently Christians can view things. Sometimes it is because of personal beliefs and sometimes it is because of what we have been taught in our churches. It can also be a mix of the two.
So how do we learn to deal with Christians who disagree with each other? Agreeing to disagree is not always easy. I think the real answer is in learning to not make those things personal. What someone believes doesn’t necessarily make them a “good” or “bad” person. I am not less of a person because I believe something, just as I am not more of a person when I believe something.
When we begin to attack someone’s marriage or parenting because of differences in belief we have made it personal. Granted there are some things in the Bible that are pretty cut and dry. However everyday in life we encounter circumstances, choices and decisions that aren’t always so cut and dry. What one person believe is right or wrong, another person may not.
Romans 14:1-13 is known as the law of liberty. It talks about how we as believers may see things differently. In the end do you know what it comes down to? In verse 12 it says that “each of us shall give account of himself to God.”
I may disagree with another Christian but it does me no good to judge them. As a matter of fact, it is really not my place to judge. I am accountable for the decisions that I make, not someone else’s. So the next time you are facing a disagreement with another Christian, try not to make it personal or judgmental about the person or the church they attend. You just might have to agree to disagree.
Great advice and reminder. We will come across times when we disagree with other Christians; that’s good! It means we’re still thinking and learning and growing. It’s definitely how we handle those times that defines us as humans.